Q&A Board

Re: Poison sumac

Several months ago I was burning limbs in the yard. After a few days I broke out in a very bad rash all over my body. This caused me quite a bit of pain but nothing like the pain I felt in my throat and chest. Came down with a very serious cold and cough. Test showed that my throat was full of blisters and extremely red and irritated. When I advised the doctor about the burning I had done he advised me that by my breathing in the smoke from burning poison ivy, oak and sumac that I had all the same effects of the rash outside my body inside as well. Since this time I have developed nerve problems, severe leg cramps, pain and numbness and tingling in my legs back and arms. I tried to get help from a chiropractor and was advised by him that he also felt that by inhaling the smoke from these plants that I have damaged by central nervous system and setup an appointment for me with a neurologist. I burned these plants everyday for about 3-4 weeks. Can all these problems be related to my inhaling all this smoke? I wake up several times a night and have to walk the floor just to get feeling back in my legs and arms. I don't know what to beleave anymore. I work at a hospital and I picked up a brochure several weeks ago and it stated that this could possibly happen with inhaling smoke from the poison sumac. Please send me any information regarding possible reactions or prolonged complications resulting from contact and inhaling of smoke from poison ivy, oak and sumac.